Complaint
A listener complained an interview about an increase in antisemitic incidents in the UK failed to mention the role played by the Labour party and Sir Keir Starmer.  The ECU considered whether the broadcast met the ±«Óătv requirements for due impartiality.
Outcome
The Community Security Trust, whose report was under discussion, found that Sir Keir’s family members had been mentioned by people making antisemitic comments, but did not otherwise mention him (or Jeremy Corbyn) in their report. On the Labour Party more generally they recorded 45 incidents from a total of 4,103 as being connected to Labour, but said these were “incidents related to events in, or arguments about, the Labour Party, and should not be treated as a measure of incidents perpetrated by Labour Party members (which CST is not in a position to assess)”.  It did not therefore seem to the ECU that the authors shared the complainant’s belief that the rise in antisemitic incidents could only be understood with reference to the Labour Party and Sir Keir Starmer.  Moreover, it was open to the guest, from the Board of  Deputies of British Jews, to give her own response to the questions on the factors behind the rise in antisemitism.  In the ECU’s view neither impartiality nor accuracy would demand that the presenter raise this issue.
Not Upheld